Processing machine for sensitized paper and the like



Nov. 25,1958 H. L. BAUMBACH ETAI. 2,861,508

PROCESSINGMACHINE FOR SENSITIZED PAPER AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 10, 19562 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS. HARLAN L BnuMBncH WALTER ENAEL MANN LORANDWnReo ATTORNEY 2 1958 H. B UMBACH' ml 2,861,508

PROCESSING MACHINE FOR SENSITIZED PAPER AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 10, 19562 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HARLAN A. BHUMBHCH [AI/ALTER [NKELMANNLo/m/vo WARGo BY AT 02M? United States Patent Orifice 2,861,508 PatentedNov. 25, 1958 PROCESSING MACHINE FOR SENSITIZED PAPER AND THE LIKEHarlan L. Baumloach, Walter Enkelmann, and Lorand Wargo, Los Angeles,Calif., assignors to Unicorn Engineermg Corporation, Los Angeles,Calif., a corporation of California Application December 10, 1956,Serial No. 627,302 6 Claims. (Cl. 9594) This invention relates toapparatus for treating movmg webs bearing an exposed, light sensitiveemulsion layer, and particularly to a so-called paper processingmachine.

Machines of the type to which this invention pertains are employed fordeveloping relatively wide webs of eX- posed, sensitized paper,comprising, for example, an oscillograph record.

In the past, paper processing machines have comprised a series ofsolution tanks containing the various developing, fixing and rinsingsolutions. The paper being processed was supported on a series of idlerand feed rollers and had successive portions immersed in the differentprocessing solutions.

During operation of the machine, the paper was fed through the solutionsin successive fashion to accom plish developing and fixing of the latentimages on the emulsion of the paper. After emerging from a final washsolution, the paper was fed through a series of drying cabinets.

The prime deficiency of the existing paper processing machines residesin the fact that the paper was immersed in the processing solutions. Thefibers of the paper thus became saturated with the solutions.

As a result, the paper had to be subjected to rigorous and prolongedwashing and rinsing operations to assure complete rinsing of thedeveloping and fixing solutions from the fibers. Also, prolonged dryingperiods were required to dry the saturated paper. Owing to thisnecessity of prolonged washing and drying periods, the tanks and dryingcabinets of the machine had to be relatively large and the rate ofmovement of the paper relatively slow.

Existing paper proc ssing machines are, therefore, relatively complex inconstruction, costly to manufacture, require substantial space, andpermit only a slow paper speed.

The above and other deficiencies of existing paper processing machinesare overcome in the present machine by virtue of the fact that only theemulsion side of the paper is wetted by the processing solutions. Sincethe emulsion is relatively impervious to the solutions, the latter maybe quickly and easily rinsed off. The fibers of the paper are not wettedby the solutions, with the result that the drying time required is alsoappreciably reduced.

In view of what has been said, a broad object of the invention may bestated as being the provision of a new and improved paper processingmachine which avoids the noted and other deficiencies of existing paperprocessing machines.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a paperprocessing machine wherein only the emulsion side of the paper is wettedby the processing solutions.

Another object is the provision of a paper processing machine whereinthe washing, rinsing and drying times required are appreciably reduced.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a paperprocessing machine which is relatively simple in construction, extremelycompact in size, and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object is the provision of a paper processing machine which isuniquely adapted to the application of processing solutions to the paperby spraying rather than by immersion.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Briefly, the above and other objects are achieved in the illustrativeembodiments of the invention by the provision of a rotary drum aroundthe periphery of which are located a series of successively arranged,stationary nozzles and an impingement drier. The nozzles are connectedto sources of the various processing solutions and serve to directsprays of the solutions toward the drum.

The paper to be processed is fed from a supply roll, around the drum, toa take-up roll with its emulsion side out. In the alternative, themachine may comprise a series of drums around which the paper issuccessively fed. For instance, the solution nozzles may be arrangedabout one drum and the drier about a following drum or some of thenozzles might be arranged about one drum and the remainder of thenozzles and drier about one or more succeeding drums.

During operation of the present paper processing machine, the drum ordrums rotate with the paper as the latter is fed and thepaper movesthrough the solution sprays and past the drier in succession. A typicalsequence of these sprays is developing spray, rinse spray, fixing spray,rinse spray, salt spray, and wash spray.

In those machines wherein more than one nozzle is associated with adrum, as in the case of a machine comprising a single drum, the sprayzones of the nozzles are separated by suitable barriers to restrict thedifferent sprays to their respective zones of the drum. Also, thenozzles are so arranged that their sprays impinge only the emulsion sideof the paper.

Even though the sprays are thus directed, it was found that if the drumhad a smooth cylindrical surface, the latter was gradually wetted by thesolutions due to capillary action and other causes. This solution on thedrum was absorbed by the fibers on the back side of the sensitizedpaper, which is undesirable for the reasons previously stated.

A primary feature of this invention involves the provision of means forpreventing this seepage of the processing solutions to the back of thepaper, so that only the empulsion side of the paper becomes wet duringpassage of the latter through the machine. The washing, rinsing anddrying times necessary are thereby reduced sufficiently to allowcomplete processing and drying of the paper during travel of the latteraround a sin le drum.

According to the preferred practices of avoiding solution seepage to theback of the paper, the drum is made of screen mesh formed into acylinder. A series of essen tially point contacts, therefore, existbetween the drum, and paper. Capillary action tending to cause seepageof solution to the underside of the paper is thus virtually eliminated.In this form of the drum, the latter encloses a cylindrical shield toavoid spraying solution through the holes in the screen onto the back ofthe paper on the opposite side of the drum.

Other disclosed means for avoiding wetting of the underside of the paperinvolve the use of travelling bands, or other seals, at the edges of thepaper for sealing the latter to the drum, the provision of raised,peripheral ribs on the drum to reduce capillary action between the drumand paper to a minimum and .establish essentially only line contactbetween the drum and paper, and the coating of the back of the paperwith a suitable sealing compound.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the attached drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of apreferred form of the present processingapparatus, certain solution spray nozzles and spray confining partitionsbeing omitted for the sake of clarity;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 2a illustrates a modified form of partition, partially insection, for use in the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of one end of a drumcomprising the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section illustrating the .point contact betweenthe drum of the illustrated apparatus and the web being treated;

Figure 5 illustrates a modified form of drum which may be used in thepresent apparatus;

Figure 6 illustrates a further modified form of the present apparatus;

Figure 7 is an enlarged section taken along line 77 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 illustrates, in perspective, a still further modified form ofthe present apparatus.

Figure 9 is an enlarged section taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 illustrates a form of the present apparatus embodying twodrums.

Referring first to Figures 1-4, the preferred form of the inventioncomprises a drum including a screen mesh cylinder 22. It has been foundthat the gauge of the mesh most suitable for a particular applicationvaries with the various solution pressures and temperatures used. In onepaper developing machine constructed in accordance with the invention 40gauge mesh was found to be optimum.

Received in opposite ends of the cylindrical screen 22 are a pair ofperipherally flanged discs 24 and 26 to which the screen is firmlyattached. The discs 24 and 26'have hollow, coaxial shafts 28 and 30,respectively, which extend outwardly from the drum and are journalled inbearings 32. The exposed sensitized paper 34 to be processed leads froma supply roll, not shown, around a stationary guide roller 36 proximateto and paralleling the drum 20. The paper is wrapped around the majorportion of the drum and leads from the latter around a second stationaryguide roller 38 proximate to and paralleling the drum to a driventake-up roll, not shown. The paper has its emulsion side outermost andits uncoated side bearing on the drum. During operation of the machine,the paper is fed in the direction indicated, the drum 20 preferablybeing driven, in direction of movement of and at approximately the samespeed as the paper, by any suitable drive means such as illustrated at49.

Arranged in zones spaced about the periphery of the drum 20am a seriesof stationary nozzles 42-52 connected to pressurized supplies, notshown, of the various processing solutions. These nozzles direct spraysof their respective solutions onto the emulsion side of the paper 34.

A typical sequence of these sprays is as follows: nozzle 42 sprays adeveloping solution, nozzle 44 a rinse spray, nozzle 46 a fixingsolution, nozzle 48 a rinse spray, nozzle 50 a salt spray, and nozzle 52a final wash spray. Located in the final processing zone of the drum isa curved impingement drier 54 connected to a source, not shown, ofheated pressurized air. The curved inner face 56 of this drier isslightly spaced from the drum and perforated, as shown, for directingjets of warm air against the paper to dry the latter.

In some cases it may be desirable to confine the sprays from the nozzles4252 by enlosing the nozzles in separate chambers (not shown), havingopen sides facing and flexible wall edges slideably engaging the drum.For purposes of illustration, the spray zones are shown as separated bya series of fixed partitions 58. These partitions may comprise thinrubber squeeges which extend the length of and have their inner edgesslideably bearing against the drum and paper 34 to scrape or squeegeethe paper. The squeegees may, in some cases, be hollow, have their inneredges perforated, and connected to a source of pressurized air, as shownat 58 in Figure 2a, for blowing solution from the openings in the screencylinder 22 at opposite edges of the paper 34.

The drum 2% is made slightly longer than the width of the widest paperto be handled, so that paper of different widths may be treated.Accordingly, if the paper is relatively narrow, the drum will extendsome distance beyond the edges of the paper.

The several nozzles 42452 are located centrally of the ends of the drumand direct their sprays as shown in Figure 3. In this figure, it will beobserved that the sprays are directed away from the paper 34 at theedges of the latter so as to impinge only its emulsion side. In order toprevent the spray, passing through the openings in the screen 22 beyondthe edges of the paper, especially in the case of relatively narrowpaper, from wetting the uncoated back of the paper at the opposite sideof the drum, the latter has a shield 60 positioned therein.

Shield 60 is cylindrical in form and approximately c0- extensive withbut radially spaced a distance from the inner surface of the drum.Opposite ends of the shield 60 carry annular, radial wipers 62 (only oneshown) of rubber or the like which slideably engage the inner surfacesof the peripheral flanges on the end disks 24 and 26 of the drum. Theshield is held stationary by means described below and has a pair oflongitudinally extending wipers 64 which slideably engage the innersurface of the drum 20 just before the first spray zone, containingnozzle 42, and just following the spray zone containing the nozzle 48.

A portion of the shield thus forms a tray for catching any spray fromthe nozzles 4248 which passes through the screen at the edges of thepaper. The liquid which collects in the lowermost edges of this tray isdrained off through tubes 66. Tubes 66 connect to a common drain 68which passes to the exterior of the drum through the hollow shaft 28 and36 thereof for connection to a suitable drain pump, not shown. Theshield 60 prevents wetting of the back of the paper by spray fromnozzles at the opposite side of the drum.

As just mentioned, shield 60 is held stationary. To this end, the shieldis rigidly fixed to the drain pipe 68 and opposite ends of the latterare supported on fixed supporting structure '70, exterior of the drum.

In operation of the present paper processing machine, the paper 34 isfed and the drum 20 is rotated in the directions indicated. Eachincremental length of the emulsion side of the paper, therefore, passessuccessively through the developing, rinsing, fixing, rinsing, salt andwash sprays from the nozzles 42-52, and finally through the jets of warmair from the drier 54. The latent images on the paper, which maycomprise an oscillograph record, for example, are developed and fixedand the paper is washed and dried during its brief travel around thedrum 20.

As preliminarily noted, the reason that the paper can be processed anddried during its brief travel about the drum is that the uncoated baseor back of the paper is not wetted by the processing solutions. Thus, inprior equipment for this purpose, prolonged rinsing and washing periodswere necessary to thoroughly remove the tie veloping and fixingsolutions with which the fibers of the paper became saturated. Also,since the uncoated back of the paper become wetted to saturation in thisprior equipment, a prolonged drying period was necessary.

In the present processing machine, however, only the emulsion side ofthe paper becomes wet, as described more fully below. The emulsion isrelatively impervious to the solutions and the latter are, therefore,not absorbed by the paper. Accordingly, there are rinsed from theemulsion side of the paper relatively quickly by the rinse and Washsprays. Also, since the fibers of the paper do not become wet, the paperis quickly dried by the impingement drier 54. I

The reason that the back of the paper remains dry is readily apparentfrom Figures 3 and 4. Thus, it will be seen in Figure 3 that only theemulsion side of the paper is impinged by the sprays from the nozzles.Accordingly, the back of the paper will become wet only as a result ofseepage of solution between the drum and paper. However, in Figure 4, itwill be observed that only a series of essentially point contacts Cexist between the paper 34 and screen 22 of the drum 20, owing to theinterweaving of the strands S comprising the screen. According,capillary action between the drum. and paper and, therefore, seepage ofsolution adhering to the screen to the underside of the paper, arevirtually eliminated.

The only locations where any capillary action might occur are at thecontact points C adjacent the edges of the paper 34. Any Wetting of thepaper occurs at these latter points. Because the area of contact at eachpoint is extremely small, only minute, spaced areas of the back of thepaper can possibly become wetted by the solutions. The fibers of thepaper, therefore, to all intents and purposes, remain completely dry anduncontaminated by the processing solutions, with the resultantadvantages recited above.

Spray which strikes the drum beyond the edges of the paper, especiallywhen the latter is relatively narrow, passes through the screen ratherthan accumulating on the drum and seeping to the underside of the paperas would occur if the surface of the latter were solid and smooth.

In lieu of forming the drum from a screen mesh as just described, it maybe of ribbed and grooved construction, as illustrated in Figure 5. Thenozzle and drier arrangement of the apparatus is the same as that justdescribed. Accordingly, only the drum is illustrated and will bedescribed.

The paper 34 is wrapped around the drum 100 so as to bear on the tips ofthe spaced ribs 102 thereof. The number of ribs will be made such as toaccommodate the widest and narrowest paper to be processed. In this formof the invention only line contact exists between the paper and drum.

The ribs 102a nearest the edges of the paper form seals which precludeentrance of solution to the underside of the paper except by capillaryaction between the rib and paper. Even if such action occurs, the backof the paper becomes wet only along the lines of contact thereof withthe ribs. Accordingly, the back of the paper remains substantiallycompletely dry so as to be capable of being thoroughly rinsed and driedduring its brief travel along the drum.

A further modified form of seal is shown in Figures 6 and 7. In thisfigure, the numerals 200 designate a pair of travelling endless bandswhich overlie and press the side edges of the paper 34 against thesmooth cylindrical surface of the drum 202 to form substantiallyliquidtight seals. Liquid is thus prevented from seepage to theunderside of the paper.

Bands 200 may comprise metal or any other suitable material and aretrained about guide pulleys 204, carried on a shaft 206, and paper guiderollers 208. The portions of the bands leading to and from the drumdiverge, as shown, to enable the paper to feed to and from theundersides of the bands, rollers 208 mounting guide collars 210 engagingthe outer edges of the bands.

The guide pulley 204 and collars 210 associated with at least one of thebands, may be axially adjustable to permit relative adjustment of thebands toward and away from one another. Paper of various widths maythereby be accommodated by the apparatus. The nozzles and drier, whichare arranged about the drum 202 in the same manner as in Figure 2, havebeen omitted from Figure 6, for the sake of clarity.

Numerous other sealing arrangements are, of course, possible. Thus, apair of annular rubber bands 300 can be carried on the drum 302 andprovided with annular lips 304 adapted to overlie and sealingly engagethe side edges of the paper 34, as shown in Figure 8.

In this case, stationary guides 306 are provided for flexing the lips304 away from the drum 302, in the zone of entrance of the paper to thedrum, as shown, to permit feeding of the paper below the lips 304.Another set of these guides, not shown, are located in the zone ofemergence of the paper from the drum to permit feeding of the paper frombeneath the lips 304.

In the alternative, of course, a water-proofing liquid or wax, such assilicone or a suitable plastic, for example, may be applied to the backof the paper to prevent seepage of solution at the edges of the paper orto entirely water-proof the back of the paper.

The present paper processing machine may comprise more than one drum.Thus, as schematically illustrated in Figure 10, the machine maycomprise two drums 400 and 402 around which the paper 34 feeds insuccessive fashion. These drums and the sealing means employed therewithmay be of any of the previously described forms of the invention.

In Figure 10, drum 400 is illustrated as comprising a wet drum havingthe nozzles 42-52 arranged thereabout, as shown. The second drum 402comprises a dry drum about which extends only a curved impingement drier54. In operation of this form of the apparatus, the paper is fed in thedirection indicated and is developed, fixed and rinsed on .the nut drum400. Drying of the paper is accomplished on the dry drum 402.

In the alternative, of course, as preliminarily pointed out, some of thenozzles might be arranged about a first drum, and the remainder of thenozzles and drier about one or more succeeding drums.

The drum or drums of the present apparatus preferably rotate about ahorizontal axis, the excess liquid between the partition 58 merelyflowing to the ends of the drum and dropping into collecting trays, notshown. If desired, of course, the drum might rotate about a verticalaxis to facilitate the How of excess liquid from the drum.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been disclosed forillustrative purposes, numerous modifications in design and arrangementof parts are possible within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A photographic processing machine for treating a moving web ofmaterial bearing on one side an exposed, sensitized emulsion,comprising: frame means, rotary drum means journalled on said framemeans about which said Web is adapted to be trained with its emulsionside away from the drum means, a plurality of partitions mounted on saidframe means in circumferentially spaced, radial planes of said drummeans and defining therebetween a series of treatment zones, a series ofseparate spray nozzles in said treatment zones for spraying differentphotographic processing liquids toward said drum means, said partitionsconfining the spray from each nozzle to the respective treatment zoneand having radially inner surfaces engageable with a web trained aboutsaid drum means for removing liquid from the web as the latter movesfrom one treatment zone to the next, and a drier for drying said webafter emergence of the latter from the final treatment zone comprising acurved plenum chamber partially encircling said drum means and includingan inlet through which air under pressure may be introduced to theinterior of said chamber and a curved wall proximate to said drum meanshaving perforations through which air may exhaust from said chambertoward said drum means.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said drum means comprises asingle cylindrical drum having said partitions in circumferentiallyspaced, radial planes thereof, and said plenum chamber partiallyencircling said drum.

3. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said drum means comprise firstand second cylindrical drums, said web being trained about said drums soas to move about the latter in succession, said partitions being locatedin circumferentially spaced, radial planes of said first drum, and saidplenum chamber partially encircling said second drum.

4. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said drum means comprises acylindrical drum having said partitions in circumferentially spaced,radial planes thereof, said drum comprising a cylinder of relativelyfine mesh screen having a mesh on. the order of 40 gauge, a stationaryimperforate cylinder concentrically journalled within said drum with itscylindrical wall spaced from said screen mesh cylinder, meansstationarily supporting said imperforate cylinder on said frame means, apair of partitions fixed to opposite sides of said imperforate cylinderand slideably engaging the inner surface of said screen mesh cylinder,said latter partitions and imperforate cylinder forming a pair ofgenerally upwardly opening troughs for catching liquid passing throughthe upper portion of said screen mesh cylinder, and means for drainingliquid from said troughs to the exterior of said drum.

'5. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said drum means comprises acylindricaldru'm having said partitions located in circumferentiallyspaced, radial planes thereof, said drum having a plurality of raised,relatively sharp edged annular ribs encircling the drum and spacedlongitudinally of the latter for supporting a web trained about saiddrum, said ribs minimizing seepage of liquid to the underside of theweb.

6. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said drum means comprises acylindrical drum having said partitions in circumferentially spaced,radial planes thereof, a pair of flexible bands trained about said drumfor overlying and pressing opposite side edges of a web trained aboutthe drum against the latter to prevent seepage of liquid to theunderside of the web, a series of guide rollers at one side of the drumaround which said'bands are trained, the runs of the bands extendingfrom the drum to the guide rollers diverging to permit a web to feedinto and off ofv the drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,589,007 King June 15, 1926 1,704,439 Langsner Mar. 5, 1929 FOREIGNPATENTS 282,246 Germany Feb. 19, 1915

